David Kea

For Air Force veteran David Kea, success came down to a simple, unyielding philosophy: never stop moving forward. 

7 years ago, David was driving for a rideshare in Dallas, Texas, seeking a way to translate his structured background into a sustainable corporate career. By leveraging Per Scholas’s IT training, aggressively pursuing advanced alumni upskilling, and maintaining a relentless growth mindset, David successfully navigated multiple roles across the tech industry.

He now operates as a Technology Business Specialist at PNC Bank, proving that an entry-level tech certificate is not just a destination, but a launchpad for a vast, versatile career roadmap.

David’s turning point came entirely by chance during a networking event. While attending one meetup, David overheard a conversation about a no-cost tech training program in an adjacent room. Intrigued by the prospect of a structured pivot, his military instincts for reconnaissance kicked in.

He enrolled in Per Scholas.

Though David already possessed a foundational technical background from his years of military service, the rigorous hours and comprehensive curriculum provided the exact immersion he needed to re-adjust to the fast-paced demands of corporate technology.

“It was a really great opportunity. Getting back in the swing of things and the hours that were allotted for the program really helped.”

Graduating from a tech training program is a major milestone, but landing the first role required massive persistence. And rather than settling into comfort once he secured that initial IT support role, David maintained a highly strategic view of the tech landscape. 

He recognized that technology is a meritocracy where experience is currency. Over the next few years, David intentionally transitioned through additional tech positions, leveraging the skills, internal infrastructure knowledge, and professional network he built at each stop to advance to higher-level corporate roles.

In his current role, he has stepped away from traditional desktop support and moved into high-level operations, serving as a critical translation layer and liaison between high-level stakeholders, corporate executives, and technical engineering teams.

“With this role, particularly, I’m more on the business side of technology. I manage multiple projects. It is a liaison between the tech team and the executives.”

David notes that, while corporate calendars are naturally packed with alignment meetings, the sheer volume of projects keeps things dynamic and fun. 

What truly sets David apart as a professional is his ongoing relationship with Per Scholas long after his initial graduation. He didn’t treat Per Scholas as a one-time resource. Instead, he has become a staple in the Per Scholas alumni network, consistently enrolling in advanced upskilling courses (Career Accelerator) to expand his knowledge base into cutting-edge tech domains.

David has taken advantage of multiple advanced training pathways to stay ahead of market trends, including:

• Advanced Web Development: Enrolling in specialized frameworks like React to understand modern application development.
• Artificial Intelligence: Completing advanced emerging technology courses through the IBM SkillsBuild platform.

David also notes that maintaining a deep, functional comprehension of development and AI gives him an invaluable edge when managing tech teams and conversing with developers.

“I’m always going through Per Scholas upskilling. Maintaining knowledge definitely helps refresh and add to my background. I’ll be taking more.”

This unique cross-section of skills makes David a prime example of a “Vets in Tech” success story—proving that the discipline, adaptability, and leadership cultivated in the armed forces, when paired with localized tech training from Per Scholas, creates an incredibly formidable corporate asset.

Because the tech industry is vast and spans across finance, healthcare, and infrastructure, he advises learners to pick a target and pursue it fiercely: “Know what you want and go for it. That’s it.”